Support Groups

        One of the most important aspects of coping for patients once they have been diagnosed with CKD is joining a support group, and getting to know other people who share the disease. There are many organizations set up to provide support for patients with chronic kidney disease, but I narrowed it down to two well-known support groups that I would recommend to patients, and provided the links below.

The Renal Support Network 

www.epogen.com

"RSN serves the kidney community by instilling health, happiness, and hope through education, advocacy, and awareness...one person at a time."

As a nurse, the Renal Support Network is what I would recommend for my patients who are suffering from CKD. It is a non-profit organization that works to benefit individuals who are affected by chronic kidney disease. The network puts on events, and provides many resources on their website and through podcasts that helps patients to stay updated and involved. 

http://www.rsnhope.org/about-rsn/

The National Kidney Foundation 

www.slate.com

"The National Kidney Foundation is the leading organization in the U.S. dedicated to the awareness, prevention and treatment of kidney disease for hundreds of thousands of healthcare professionals, millions of patients and their families, and tens of millions of Americans at risk."

The National Kidney Foundation is a large organization, who as a whole aims to brings awareness to kidney diseases, and to provide support for people who are suffering from kidney related illnesses. NKF Cares is a branch of the Kidney Foundation that deals directly with patients and patient families. They provide support and guidance to people, and are a resource for people with chronic kidney disease. They offer smaller peer groups, newsletters, and ways to help bring awareness to the issue,

https://www.kidney.org/nkfcares

KidneyAPPetite; Get the App!

      People who have chronic kidney failure, or have a loved one who is diagnosed with it, know how important their diets are in regulating the disease. I recommend getting the KidneyAPPetite application for your smartphone. The app allows you to track the food you eat and provides you with a daily summary that gives you a quick view of your daily intake for the key nutritional values that are important for patients with CKD. KidneyAPPetite is free and easy to navigate, making it simple to keep track of this very important aspect of CKD progression.

kidneyappetite.com

There are many other apps that are available to people who have been diagnosed with chronic kidney diseases. However, most of them are very similar to the KidneyAPPetite application in that they are largely available to help you keep track of your diet. If you have trouble using this application, I would still recommend downloading one of the many similar apps that involve tracking food intake so that you can monitor what you are eating. 

Additional Websites; Learn More

         Although I have covered many of the main points, there is much more information that can be covered regarding chronic kidney disease. For a more in depth description of the disease, its symptoms, diagnosis, treatments, etc., visit some of the following helpful sites:

• https://www.kidney.org/kidneydisease/aboutckd
• http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/kidney-disease/basics/definition/con-20026778
• http://www.emedicinehealth.com/chronic_kidney_disease/article_em.htm

         As a nurse, there are many things that should be considered when caring for a patient with chronic kidney disease. Because of the many side affects that are associated with this progressive disease, multiple aspects of a patient's health need to be observed and monitored. The following website, NursesLabs.com, outlines 6 different care plans for patients with CKD. The care plans provide specific nursing priorities, interventions, and desired outcomes.

• http://nurseslabs.com/6-chronic-renal-failure-nursing-care-plans/

nurseslabs.com

Dietary Considerations

 
  Just like with many other illnesses, chronic kidney disease can be regulated through certain dietary measures. The main way you can alter your diet in order to keep the disease progression under control is to eat a diet low in protein, sodium, potassium, and phosphorus, and to regulate your fluid intake. Limiting use of salt and eating heart healthy foods is a good place to start, but there are countless resources and experts that can help to further tailor diets in order to lessen the work load for kidneys. Below is a a video that provides lists of foods to be avoided, as well as food products that are recommended to fight kidney disease and promote kidney health.

youtube.com

How to treat CKD

       Certain kidney diseases can be treated by fixing focused problems and disorders, however chronic kidney disease has no real cure. Once  diagnosed, it is an irreversible progression of the disease until patients' reach end stage renal failure, where the kidneys completely lose all function. Although there is no ultimate cure, there are treatments provided to patients with CKD that can help control and reduce the symptoms that accompany the disease. These treatments can also help in slowing the progression of  the disease. Earlier stages are treated through measures specific to certain symptoms and associated causes.

• Working to treat high blood pressure is one example of how doctors make an effort to treat the disease through directing their attention to causes of  CKD. Medications and other methods taken to lower blood pressure help to reduce the strain of blood filtration on your kidneys, and helps in avoiding other illnesses that are associated with high blood pressure that comes with CKD. 
• People with chronic kidney disease often face high levels of bad cholesterol in their blood with worsening kidney function. Providing medication that helps to decrease cholesterol levels is another way that doctors attempt to treat chronic kidney disease.
• Treating anemia can help relieve fatigue and weakness. Doctors can do this by providing erythropoietin supplements that aid in red blood cell production,  
• Medications, like diuretics, can be prescribed to help maintain the balance of fluids in your body. Swelling is a common side effect of CKD, but attempting to reduce the build up of excess fluids can help lower blood pressure, pain, and extra work for your kidneys.
• Lowering the amount of protein in the patient's diet can also be helpful in slowing the disease progression. When our bodies digest protein, they produce a lot of waste products that must than be filtered by our kidneys. Less waste means less strain on our kidneys. It is recommended that patient's with CKD meet with a dietitian to create a diet that meets individual needs and is kidney friendly. 
• Eating right is very important in helping control chronic kidney disease. 
• For more information on what makes a kidney friendly diet, watch this video!

Eventually, once patients reach end stage renal failure, additional treatments are needed. Because they can no longer keep up with waste and fluid clearance on their own, kidneys that are near complete failure require either dialysis or a transplant.

• Dialysis is the artificial removal of waste products and extra fluids from the blood. There are two ways this is done.
• Hemodialysis is when a machine is used to do your kidney's job.
• Peritoneal dialysis is the insertion of a catheter into the abdomen, which fills the abdominal cavity with a solution that absorbs waste and excess fluids. Eventually, the solution drains from the body, carrying the wastes with it.
• Kidney transplants include surgically replacing the diseased kidney with a healthy kidney. Patients who receive a transplant will need to take medication for the rest of their lives in order to keep the body from rejecting the organ.

Screenshot from youtube.com

Signs and Symptoms; What to look out for!

         Identifying the signs and symptoms of chronic kidney disease can be very difficult for many people. Often, the signs can go unnoticed for many months or years, and are not identified until the disease has progressed into later and more destructive phases. It is important, however, to pay attention to early symptoms, especially if you are at high risk, in order to slow the development of impaired kidney function. The early symptoms of CKD are the same for many other illnesses, but may be the only sign of a problem in the early stages. Below are some of these common symptoms:

• Appetite loss

• General ill feeling and fatigue

• Headaches

• Itching and dry skin

• Nausea

• Weight loss without trying to lose weight

        Picking up these early indicators could be very beneficial in slowing the advancement of the disease, However, as previously mentioned, they are often hard to identify in the beginning stages.  As the kidneys continue to lose function and chronic kidney disease progresses into later stages, symptoms and signs become more focused and obvious. Later symptoms include:

• Abnormally dark or light skin
• Bone pain
• Drowsiness or problems concentrating or thinking
• Numbness or swelling in the hands and feet
• Muscle twitching or cramps
• Breath odor
• Easy bruising, or blood in the stool
• Excessive thirst
• Frequent hiccups
• Problems with sexual function
• Menstrual periods stop (amenorrhea)
• Shortness of breath
• Sleep problems
• Vomiting, often in the morning

      For a more in depth explanation of some of the above symptoms, and how they are correlated with impaired kidney function, click here. 

How to Diagnose Chronic Kidney Disease

Once you begin to see some of the key symptoms of Chronic Kidney Disease (read the next blog for more information on symptoms of CKD), there are several routes a medical professional may take in order to officially diagnose you with the disease. The most efficient way to test whether or not you have CKD is through a series of different tests involving your kidneys and other things that are dependent on them functioning properly. For example, performing a blood test can help identify extra waste products in your blood as a result of impaired kidney filtration. Excess creatinine or urea in the blood can be a strong indicator of CKD. You can also do urine tests to reveal other abnormalities and possibly determine the cause of the disease. Imaging tests, such as ultrasounds, can be used to look directly at the kidneys and examine their size and structure. Looking at the physical anatomy of the kidneys can be helpful in diagnosing Chronic Kidney Disease. Another way doctors may do this is by obtaining a small sample of the kidney itself. Performing a kidney biopsy, is an easy way to determine the cause of your kidney disorder. (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2015).

 

 

           http://www.huffingtonpost.com/cecile-janssens/blood-test-that-predicts-_b_5686673.html

 

       Early identification of this disease is very important in order to slow its progression. Although the disease's symptoms may take sometime to become obvious, it is crucial to pay attention to your body and be aware of any changes so that you can proceed with tests and procedures that can help with diagnosis of health issues. Above, I gave an overview of some general tests involved with the diagnosis of Chronic Kidney Disease. For more detail on individual tests and additional methods involved in diagnosing CKD, click here.


Mayo Clinic Staff. (2015, January 30). Tests and Diagnosis. Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/kidney-disease/basics/tests-diagnosis/CON-20026778

Chronic Kidney Disease Diagnosis. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.ultracare-dialysis.com/kidney-disease/chronic/ckd-diagnosis.aspx